Backgrounds are back in the form of factions in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, a feature that players have asked for since the first game.
In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, one of the most significant changes is the return of character backgrounds in character creation. Unlike previous games where the background was primarily tied to the character’s race, in The Veilguard, it is a separate faction choice. This means your protagonist’s origin will have different elements not only because of race choice but also class and background (faction), allowing for a more versatile and personalized experience.
Race will still impact some dialogue choices and how the world interacts with and reacts to your protagonist, but background choice has far more consequences tied to the main story. It’s hinted that faction choice can influence the power balance of the entire continent. Also, the protagonist’s lineage and backstory define their last name in-game.
In this guide, we list all backgrounds, explain the factions, and discuss how this early game choice may influence the gameplay, story, and protagonist in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
All Backgrounds and Factions in Dragon Age: The Veilguard
Here is a list of the six factions you can choose from:
- Lords of Fortune
- The Mourn Watch
- Antivian Crows
- Greyt Wardens
- Veil Jumpers
- Shadow Dragons
Four of the protagonist’s six faction options, Mourn Watch, Lords of Fortune, Veil Jumpers, and Shadow Dragons, are “based in northern Thedas.”
Lords of Fortune
- Companion Member: Taash
- Bonuses: Unknown
- Origin: Rivain
The Lords of Fortune are a renowned guild of treasure hunters and dungeoneers based in Rivain. Known as some of the best treasure hunters in Thedas, they recover treasures from caves and dungeons, hunt monster bounties, and occasionally steal from wealthy collectors. They offer protection to employers who accompany them on expeditions for an additional fee.
The Lords of Fortune are famous for their colorful outfits, including sashes, capes, belts, scarves, and charms, and they often wear their treasure as a display of status. This display is usually reserved for those who have survived more than a year or two in the guild. Some members specialize in disguises and altering their accents to blend in.
Lords of Fortune As a Background
Choosing this background will likely immerse you in a world of exploration and give you a treasure hunter background, known for your adventurous spirit and pursuit of wealth. Taash, a warrior companion, is also a member of this faction in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
The Mourn Watch
- Companion Member: Emmrich Volkarin
- Bonuses: Unknown
- Origin: Navarra
The Mourn Watch is an elite order within the Mortalitasi, a powerful group of Navarra mages, also known as the “Death Mages.” Moreover, they have significant political power and are responsible for mummifying the bodies of the Nevarran elite. Founded by Tevinter mage Vitus Fabria, who advised Caspar Pentaghast, the Mortalitasi are closely linked to the royal family by blood and often serve as advisers to Nevarran nobility.
Despite their respect within Nevarra, mages outside the kingdom fear the Mortalitasi, suspecting them of performing macabre rituals in the Grand Necropolis. The Mourn Watch, a specialized branch of the Mortalitasi, works as the guardians of the Grand Necropolis and its sacred repository of the dead, responsible for ensuring the dead rest peacefully. They manage funerary rites, handle magic related to corpse possession, and have absolute authority over the funerary dead.
The Mourn Watch As a Background
As a member of this faction, you will have deep ties to Nevarran culture and the Mortalitasi. They deal with spirits and the dead, offering a unique perspective and skills related to death and the Fade. In Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the mage Emmrich Volkarin represents this faction as one of the companions.
Mortalitasi believes that when the soul dies, it enters the fade. So, this process displaces a faded Spirit, pushing it into the real world. As a result, necromancers of the grand necropolis bind that spirit to mummified hosts in the grand necropolis. However, their spirit-binding practices do not favor the plans of Dread Wolf, also known as Solas. If you played Inquisition, you probably remember his protective attitude towards all kinds of spirits. The choice of this background may open an interesting dynamic between Solas and the main protagonist if they were a part of The Mourn Watch.
Antivan Crows
- Companion Member: Lucanis Dellamorte
- Bonuses: Unknown
- Origin: Antiva
They are a guild of assassins from Antiva, so feared that many nations avoid attacking Antiva despite its lack of a standing army. The Antivan Crows, or House of Crows, are an elite organization of thieves, spies, and assassins known across Thedas for their deadly efficiency and exotic poisons. Originating as an arm of the Chantry, the Crows now wield significant political power in Antiva.
The Crows keep a strict code: contracts must be fulfilled, or the operative’s life is forfeit. This code ensures their reputation. People frequently hire them for high-profile assassinations, targeting individuals within Antivan nobility, royalty, and across all of Thedas. When hired for a job, a single master usually handles the contract, but if they fail, other masters can step in. Hiring the entire House of Crows in rare and costly instances is also possible.
The Crows are organized into family houses, each led by a Talon. The guild’s leadership includes the Eight Talons, who oversee the major houses. Crows refer to lesser houses as cuchillos (knives). The hierarchy is strict, and while trainers tell new recruits they can rise to the rank of Talon, it typically requires family connections.
The Antivan Crows often recruit orphaned or enslaved elves and humans, training them from a young age. The training is brutal, and only those who survive every test prove themselves worthy. The Crows favor elves for their attractiveness to human targets, but they also have many human members.
The Antivan Crows also run Velabanchel, a notorious prison known as the “House of Graves,” where they incarcerate and torture prisoners for their amusement.
Antivan Crows As a Background
Picking this background in Dragon Age: The Veilguard means your protagonist will have a history soaked in spying, lethal precision, and political intrigue. Maybe to have specialized assassination skills and a network of contacts in the criminal underworld. Lucanis, one of the companions, is also a famous Antivan Crow’s faction member. Lucanis is the grandson of Caterina Dellamorte, First Talon of the Antivan Crows.
Currently, at the time of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the past year’s political maneuvers weakened the Crows leader’s influence. After the peaceful Qunari invasion and the betrayal of some Talons, the organization faces the consequences. Four leaders are down, including one of their best master assassins, Lucanis, who killed around 40 targets by himself in a single mission and is also presumed dead, the organization struggles against Venatori and inner conflicts.
While we know that Lucantis is very much alive and will be our protagonist companion and romance option in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the choice of this faction will open interesting background possibilities.
Grey Wardens
- Companion Member: Davrin
- Bonuses: Unknown
- Origin: Weisshaupt Fortress, Anderfels
As one of the most attractive backgrounds in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Grey Wardens were a frequent topic of previous games in the series, and we know a lot about this faction. The Grey Wardens are a legendary order of warriors dedicated to combating darkspawn across Thedas. They were founded during the First Blight and have been instrumental in defeating each next Blight, making them vital to the world’s survival.
The Grey Wardens are headquartered at Weisshaupt Fortress in the Anderfels but maintain a presence in most nations. Each national branch operates semi-autonomously, led by a Warden-Commander.
The Grey Wardens recruit members regardless of race, social status, nationality, or criminal background. They value character, ability, and skill above all else. To become a Grey Warden, a recruit must undergo the Joining, a secret and dangerous ritual where the recruit must drink darkspawn blood. Those who survive gain resistance to the darkspawn taint and can sense darkspawn presence.
The Wardens have the authority to conscript anyone, from royalty to criminals, into their ranks. This Right ensures they always have the necessary numbers, though it is used wisely to avoid political conflict.
Grey Wardens abandon their old lives and dedicate themselves entirely to fighting darkspawn. They go where they are needed most, battling darkspawn both during and outside of Blights. Every Grey Warden eventually hears the Calling, a signal that the darkspawn taint within them has become too strong. They then go on a final mission into the Deep Roads to die fighting darkspawn.
Grey Wardens As a Background
Choosing the Grey Wardens as your background in Dragon Age: The Veilguard means aligning with a well-known faction with a crucial mission: protecting Thedas from the darkspawn threat. As a Grey Warden, you’ll be part of a respected and feared organization with a rich history.
As a Warden, your character will have extensive knowledge of the Blight, darkspawn, and the taint. Also, your interactions will reflect this connection. However, that raises a lot of questions. Will the Rook sense darkspawn? Have visions and dreams? Maybe you know some of the characters from the previous games?
Developers have hinted that some characters from previous games may return in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Notably, the Inquisitor is confirmed to appear. This opens the possibility of encountering beloved characters like Alistair or the Dragon Age: Origins protagonist.
Similar to the Crows, Grey Wardens face problems of their own. As Morrigan hinted, something horrible happened at their main leadership and the Weisshaupt Fortress. Additionally, there are rumors about sentient darkspawn. Not to mention the almost catastrophic consequences of Grey Wardens’ actions in the Inquisition, which were luckily solved by the Inquisitor. We also know from books and comics that Grey Wardens not only managed to breed and bring back from extension griffins but also learned the location of two old gods: Razikale and Lusacan. However, Grey Wardens cannot access them first because they are deep underground. On the other hand, if darkspawns find them and the old god becomes blighted, the next blight starts.
All of those indicate something is happening very wrong in the faction and can open interesting plot opportunities if you choose this faction. Next blight, perhaps?
Veil Jumpers
- Companion Member: Bellara
- Bonuses: Unknown
- Origin: Arlathan Forest
The Veil Jumpers are a faction of daring explorers dedicated to uncovering the mysteries hidden within ancient elven ruins. Their primary focus is on the enigmatic Arlathan Forest, a place steeped in history and fraught with reality-warping magic. This group is open to anyone courageous enough to brave the forest’s many dangers, making them a diverse and inclusive faction.
The Veil Jumpers are most active in Arlathan Forest, located in eastern Tevinter and named after the ancient elven capital, Arlathan. This forest is known for its haunting presence and dangerous remnants of ancient elven magic. Despite these risks, the Veil Jumpers venture into the forest to explore and uncover its secrets. They often use artifacts found in old elven ruins to their advantage. Some concept art revealed them using elven-looking magical triangles as arrows.
In a notable event from one of the Dragon Age books, Veil Jumpers Strife and Irelin assisted Varric Tethras and Scout Lace Harding. They searched the forest and its magic to find the precious artifact stone but discovered that Solas had already taken it. When they tried to retrieve a crystal Halla statue, they encountered blurred visions and a thin line between ancient magic and reliability, capitalizing on the dangers of elven magic and the goddess Ghilan’nain (mother of the Halla).
Veil Jumpers As a Background
Choosing the Veil Jumpers as your background in Dragon Age: The Veilguard will immerse the protagonist, Rook, in the mysteries and dangers of Arlathan Forest. This faction’s focus on exploration and ancient elven lore will likely influence Rook’s interactions, which are tied to elven history and magic. The choice also brings specific conversation options with Bellara, another member of this faction and mage companion.
Shadow Dragons
- Companion Member: Neve Gallus
- Bonuses:
- Extra damage to Venatori blood cultists.
- 2 more unknown
- Origin: Tevinter
The Shadow Dragons are a secretive resistance group operating within Tevinter, dedicated to helping those in need and fighting against corruption. This background offers the most in-game reactivity, especially during the prologue in Minrathous, Tevinter’s capital. Shadow Dragon Rooks have specialized skills for dealing with Venatori blood cultists and a narrative rich in Tevinter intrigue and rebellion.
Shadow Dragons As a Background
Neve Gallus is another member of this faction and a companion in Dragon Age: The Veilguard. As we saw in the recent gameplay reveal, Rook and Neve have a special dialogue about Shadow Dragons.
Impact of Faction Choice
Your background and faction choice will influence many aspects of Dragon Age: The Veilguard gameplay, including:
- Story and Dialogue: Certain conversation options and interactions will be unique to your faction, reflecting your character’s background and expertise. For example, “Grey Wardens get conversation options focused on the Blight, as they know more about it from other people.”
- Reactivity: Characters will react differently to you based on your faction, and plots related to your faction will develop uniquely. Some reactions may be negative, others positive.
- Skills and Buffs: Each faction offers three distinct statistical bonuses and abilities. For example, Shadow Dragon Rooks deal extra damage to Venatori blood cultists.
- Prologue and Setting: The faction you choose will set the course for your character’s involvement in the main story and the initial prologue’s events.
- Companions: Each companion has a complex backstory, problems, and deep motivations. This also includes the faction they are from, which they will acknowledge. Dialogues can lead to different paths if the protagonists and companion factions align.
Character Customization
In character creation, there is a tab, the “Lineage” where you can pick race (i.e., human, elf, dwarf, qunari) and backstory. While you can change your character’s physical appearance at any time during the game, you cannot change their class or faction background once chosen. This decision will determine your protagonist Rook’s past and their role in the fight against Solas. Also, why Rook has been called to help in the fight against Solas.
Also, there won’t be any special starting quests related to backgrounds and factions, but it sets the course for Rook for the rest of the Veilguard.
Classes for Rook are not restricted, meaning you can play almost any class, lineage, and faction combination you want. For instance, a mage Rook can be a Crow. However, the game does not allow Rook to be a magic-wielding dwarf, except for Harding, who has “unique magic abilities.” That’s because dwarfs have no connection to the fade and, as a result, can’t be mages. Still, this flexibility allows for a diverse range of character builds and stories.
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